


Promises

by caterplina



Series: Team Pilot (Round 25 September 2017 - 21 January 2018) [4]
Category: NCT (Band), SHINee
Genre: Canon Compliant, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-29
Updated: 2017-10-29
Packaged: 2019-01-26 08:55:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,244
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12553816
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/caterplina/pseuds/caterplina
Summary: The things that Taemin keeps hidden.





	Promises

**Author's Note:**

> I mentioned "2tae" (as in Taeil/Taeyong) and my friend asked:
> 
> "someone remind me who's in the 2tae ship, taemin and ?"
> 
> And of course my brain started working with it. I came up with this short drabble. I hope you like this unexpected ship ^^

Forever is a ridiculous notion when you're young and one-track minded towards success. Yet, forever is what Taeyong promises in a whisper during one of the times Taemin hides both of them in an empty room in the SM Entertainment building. Taemin laughs, at his words, at the way Taeyong’s hands tremble when they hold onto his waist. And he laughs to hide the way his own heart trembles.

In the back of his mind, where the fog of Taeyong’s warm breathing doesn't reach, Taemin thinks of dropping his career to be free and kiss Taeyong without having to hide.

But Taeyong has said, time and time again, how much he admires Taemin’s passion and talent. That travels through Taemin’s mind to touch his insecurities that tell him Taeyong's love is nothing but the admiration of a fan and not the care of a lover.

 

 

Taeyong was a name Taemin heard often in the hallways of the SM Entertainment building. He had no face to match it with; he only learned about his dancing, his voice, his charisma through the words of the staff that got to work with this golden child. It reminded Taemin of the times when Jongin had just joined SM Entertainment.

The moment when Taemin was able to finally see Taeyong’s face was when he practicing for SHINee’s comeback, Shim Jaewon watching him from the other side of the practice room. The other members had left early; the backup dancers were free to go; it had been Taemin’s decision to stay on his own.

Suddenly, the door opened and messy black hair peeked from behind the door. A young boy stood with wide open eyes staring at Taemin, before hastily apologizing for the interruption.

“Taeyongie,” Jaewon called the kid forwards.

He was… unexpected. Taemin looked at him closely and noticed the contrast between his wide innocent eyes and the sharp line of his jaw. He really did remind him of Jongin. Taemin shook his head before introducing himself to Taeyong.

“Hello, Taeyong. It’s nice to finally meet you.” He showed him the most gentle smile he could, and the way Taeyong blushed and looked down made Taemin’s heart flip.

“Nice to meet you too, sunbae,” Taeyong said quietly.

“Taeyong here is a really big fan of yours.” Jaewon’s amused eyes moved between Taeyong and Taemin. “He can’t stop gushing about you.”  
Taeyong whined quietly at him, to quiet him down. But he didn’t deny it, nor did he stay quiet when Taemin thanked him for his interest. It was like a dam had been opened and praise started pouring out of Taeyong’s mouth. His wide, dark eyes shined brightly as he looked at Taemin, who felt really awkward and unprepared. He was used to hearing these things from young teenage girls or professionals he worked with, not from such a cute male trainee. 

Long after Taeyong left, Taemin was still feeling heat on his cheeks, and he knew he had a problem. A problem Jongin found out about and made sure to mock Taemin constantly because of it. It got worse when the SM Rookies joined EXO’s show and Jongin would text him afterwards telling him all about what Taeyong did, if they were on the same episode. 

It was one thing to hear about Taeyong’s dancing from a dance teacher; it was another to hear about Fly to the Sky praising Taeyong’s face from Jongin. It made Taemin feel something curling in his belly. He could imagine his bashful face; it gave Taemin an itch he couldn’t scratch, fingers twitching as if wanting to touch said face.

Taemin spent day after day working hard for his job, and throwing his feelings for Taeyong to the back of his mind.

 

 

Shaky laughter leaves Taemin’s lips when Taeyong nibbles on the skin of his neck, telling him how torturous it is to see Taemin’s new choreography. Taemin then replies grinding against Taeyong, as he loves the way his hands tighten on Taemin’s waist. It’s exhilarating to steal these moments of their busy time to enjoy each other like this.

Taemin throws his head back, sighing. Taeyong’s lips travel to reach Taemin’s. A searing kiss leaves them both breathless soon enough. When they part, Taeyong says the words.

“We could… we could stay here forever.”

The room is dark and the words fill the air like light is supposed to do. It clears Taemin’s head.

“You know we can’t.”

Taeyong’s forehead rests on Taemin’s shoulder, as he sags in defeat. “I know, I know, hyung.” He drops a kiss so quick it feels like a caress of lips only on the exposed skin. “But sometimes, I like to think of parallel universes, of different times, of places where you and I could be together and free.”

Taemin would laugh at the cheesy words, if it weren’t something he’s already thought a hundred times before. 

They match and burn together. Taemin and Taeyong, and their different styles, the contrast between Taeyong’s intensity and Taemin’s gracefulness. It all comes down to this, holding each other in secret for moments far too short for each of them. And neither of them asks for more, because they know that they can’t. That first, before them, there are the paths they chose to take.

Taeyong’s hand grips Taemin’s and he kisses him again.

“See you later,” Taemin whispers, before leaving the room in search of Koharu.

 

 

After recording Sexuality over and over again, because he had insisted on it until he got it perfectly, Taemin got ready to leave the building. He was drinking water when he decided to check if any of the practice rooms were empty. That lead him to see Taeyong breaking the rules, the same one Taemin was going to break, but as an already debuted artists the staff were a lot more permissive.

“You’re not supposed to be here.” Taemin grinned at Taeyong’s startled face.

“Sunbae!” Taeyong bowed and rushed to turn off the music.

“That was impressive.” Taemin nodded, appreciating how much Taeyong had improved over time. He got distracted when Taeyong wiped the drops of sweat traveling down his neck. “Here.” Taemin walked up to him and handed him his bottle of water.

Taeyong mumbled a shy “thanks” and gulped down almost half the bottle, making Taemin laugh.

“Did you eat, Taeyong-ah?” When the boy shook his head, Taemin gestured towards the door. “Come. I’ll buy you dinner.”

Taeyong thanked him again. “You’re really nice to me, sunbae.”

“Call me hyung and pick up your stuff.” 

Taemin watched Taeyong awkwardly hurrying up to get his things. It was endearing and it brought up to surface the feelings that Taemin had worked hard to forget, but never managed to. 

A meal together was nothing. They talked about idol life and the struggles before debut; they talked about Taemin’s solos; they talked about their fears. And it was all going well. But Taeyong’s eyes changed as time passed by and Taemin was able to see more than just the usual admiration of a cute trainee. That meal brought a change, and it ended with phone numbers exchanged and a promise of another meal.

 

 

Taemin wonders how they went from promising a “next time” to promising “forever”, even though they’ll leave that promise unfulfilled. Even though it’s impossible, it’s something that both of them like telling each other in whispers in dark empty rooms when all they want is to stay forever together.


End file.
